About CHAI
The Comprehensive Healthcare for Adolescents Initiative (CHAI) project convenes a network of partners consisting of subject-matter experts, organizational partners, and a teen advisory group to develop an innovative program that improves youth access to and experiences with healthcare. By applying three frameworks: model of innovation, human-centered design, and systems thinking, this project seeks to transform the landscape of accessibility and experience with healthcare for youth. This project builds upon previous work conducted by the team through the iTP3 project and utilizes its expertise to lead innovative program development.
CHAI Team
Kelly Wilson
Co-PI
Kelly’s primary role focuses on teaching and research at Texas A&M University. She is Co-PI for the CHAI project, supporting innovation in the adolescent healthcare setting. In her spare time she plays with the kids, dogs and is learning how to manage a mini-farm.
Whitney Garney
Co-PI
Dr. Garney is an assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior at Texas A&M University and the Principal Investigator of the CHAI Project. Her expertise is in community-based research and evaluation, with an emphasis in ecological and systems approaches to public health problems.
Christi Esquivel
Research Specialist
Christi is a research specialist on the CHAI project. When she isn't doing human-centered design work, she enjoys traveling with her spouse, playing with their dogs, and recently took up woodworking as a new hobby during the quarantine.
Tracy LaTourette
Program Manager
Tracy is a program manager on the CHAI project. Aside from her administrative work on the CHAI project, she enjoys traveling with her husband and children, spending time with her dogs, reading books, and watching baking shows.
Kristen Garcia
Research Specialist
Kristen is a research specialist with the CHESS lab at TAMU. Her primary role on CHAI is program evaluation. Kristen loves to spend time with her family, enjoys lots of time outside, and remains a proud Nebraskan (even after more than a decade living in Texas).
Caitlin Holden
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Caitlin is a postdoctoral research associate on the CHAI project. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, playing with her dogs, being outdoors, traveling, and making fun memories with friends and family.
Felicia YOrk
Program Coordinator II
Felicia is a program coordinator on the POPSS project. Her primary role on the POPSS project is the Learning Collaborative Manager. When Felicia is not working, she enjoys singing in the church choir, binge-watching TV shows, traveling with her Girl Squad, and spending time with her four grand loves.
Sara Flores
Graduate Assistant
Kobi Ajayi
Graduate Assistant
Kobi is a graduate research assistant on the CHAI project. To keep body and soul together, she enjoys playing peek-a-boo with her two daughters, watching crime movies, and memoing.
Ashley KhanhkhaM
Graduate Assistant
Laurel Curran
Graduate Assistant
Laurel is a doctoral student in the Health Education program and a graduate research assistant on the CHAI project. Laurel's work explores how environmental design impacts health behaviors, so she brings her experience with evidence-based architecture and urban design to our team. Her idea of fun usually includes cello and horses.